used for calking ships, as a substitute for oakum.

63. BIGNONIA ECHINATA.--A native of Mexico, where it is sometimes
called Mariposa butterfly. The branches are said to be used in the
adulteration of sarsaparilla. _B. chica_, a native of Venezuela,
furnishes a red pigment, obtained by macerating the leaves in
water, which is used by the natives for painting their bodies. The
long flexible stems of _B. kerere_ furnish the natives of French
Guiana with a substitute for ropes. _B. alliacea_ is termed the
Garlic shrub, because of the powerful odor of garlic emitted from
its leaves and branches when bruised. These plants all have showy
flowers, and the genus is represented with us by such beautiful
flowers as are produced by _B. radicans_ and _B. capreolata_.

64. BIXA ORELLANA.--Arnotta plant. This plant is a native of South
America, but has been introduced and cultivated both in the West
and East Indies. It bears bunches of pink-colored flowers, which
are followed by oblong bristled pods. The seeds are thinly coated
with red, waxy pulp, which is separated by stirring them in water
until it is detached, when it is strained off and evaporated to
the consistence of putty, when it is made up into rolls; in this
condition it is known as flag or roll arnotta, but when thoroughly
dried it is made into cakes and sold as cake arnotta. It is much
used by the South American Caribs and other tribes of Indians for
painting their bodies, paint being almost their only article of
clothing. As a commercial article it is mainly used as a coloring
for cheese, butter, and inferior chocolates, to all of which it
gives the required tinge without imparting any unpleasant flavor
or unwholesome quality. It is also used in imparting rich orange
and gold-colored tints to various kinds of varnishes.

65. BLIGHIA SAPIDA.--The akee fruit of Guinea. The fruit is about 3
inches long by 2 inches wide; the seeds are surrounded by a spongy
substance, which is eaten. It has a subacid, agreeable taste. A
small quantity of semisolid fatty oil is obtained from the seeds
by pressure.

66. B[OE]HMERIA NIVEA.--A plant of the nettle family, which yields the
fiber known as Chinese grass. The beautiful fabric called
grasscloth, which rivals the best French cambric in softness a